12 Office Morale Boosters

March 4, 2014

Even at the best of nonprofits there will be days when employee morale sags. Whether it’s due to declining fundraising numbers or any other number of stressful things, there are times when a manager must do something to raise spirits. In his book “1001 Ways To Reward Employees,” Bob Nelson lists 12 things you can do to turn a dreary office into a happy place:

Order pizzas or sandwiches for a communal lunch.

Design a bulletin board as a place for employees to post favorite jokes, cartoons, etc.

Attach cartoons or humorous anecdotes to the more mundane memos that need to be circulated.

Schedule a staff meeting off-site in a congenial atmosphere; if possible, follow up with a casual social event.

Schedule an Ugly Tie Day with a prize for the winner.

Hold betting pools for high-profile events like the Super Bowl, the Oscars, or the NCAA Basketball Tournament.

Designate someone to share a joke or funny story with the rest of the staff.

During a lunch break, screen a funny film or television show in a conference room or large office.

Take candid shots of employees and post the results throughout the office or online (with their permission, of course).

Make it a point to smile and say hello to co-workers.

Give everyone an opportunity to arrive an hour late or leave an hour early one day a week.